Converting Your Thinking

You have two choices, either you think in non-metric units and have to convert
metric to non-metric, or learn to think in metric so that you can understand
metric units right away; e.g. if someone says they live 5 kilometres away,
then rather than convert that to another unit, just think of how far 5 kilometres
actually is.

To
think metric you have to start using it and relating it to everyday
life. It is not enough to just know the names and sizes of the units, you
have
to
actually use them to understand them, such as knowing how big 1 centimetre
is, how long
a metre is or how far away 150 metres is. One way to start
is to stop thinking in non-metric units and try to visualise metric quantities
of items, distances, temperatures, volumes, etc. When you resist any temptation
to convert a metric unit to a non-metric one, then the familiarity of using metric
will soon get you to understand metric. When you see road signs (like the one
pictured here on the right) showing a distance in metres, this can help you get
used to how long the distance is. In this case, stand at the sign, look towards
the Post Office, and see how far that distance is visually, and remember that
the distance is 150 metres.

The metric system avoids confusing dual-use of terms, such as the imperial
system's use of ounces to measure both weight and volume. The metric system
also avoids
the use of multiple units for the same quantity; for instance,
the imperial system's multiple units for volume include teaspoons, tablespoons,
fluid ounces, cups, pints, quarts, and gallons, and the value of these units
varies from one country to another. The metric system is the same the world
over.

A
population that is highly skilled in maths and science is essential for national
economic and social progress. By using only
the metric
system, education and training in these key subjects is much more
efficient. A workforce
that is truly able to think and "speak" the metric measurement language
will be better able to
excel in the global marketplace. When you convert your thinking to metric, you
are coming into line with the majority of the world who now regularly use metric
every day and for every purpose.

If you are in business, such as running a factory, shop or restaurant, it
is not difficult to change over to metric, if you have not done so already.
UK law already requires pricing to consumers to be in metric (e.g. loose food
priced in pence per kilogram) and so businesses need metric measuring equipment,
such as scales, rulers, tape measures. If you take the order and price in metric,
but measure in non-metric using conversion tables, just think of the time and
effort you could save if you change your thinking to metric and just use metric
throughout. Customers soon get used to metric if you are using metric, and
can more easily ask for metric quantities if they see the shop or business
owner/workers using metric.

If
you are measuring temperature, convert your thinking to remember that 0 °C is
freezing and 100 °C is boiling. Normal body temperature is 36.8 °C.
Get used to thinking in terms of Celsius rather than trying to convert it to
another
system.

Remember that the metric system is EASY! Calculations involve multiples of
10 (rather than 3 or 12) and there are links between units, such as weights
and
volumes (a litre of water weighs exactly one kilogram, for example).

A great place to learn metric is the supermarket — all groceries these
days are marked in metric, all you have to do is start paying attention
to the metric sizes, e.g. 1 litre of water, 1 kg of rice. We know it is hard
for some people to change something as basic about the way they live as this,
but
in the long
run it
is in you and your
children's
best interests that he or she grow up "thinking" metric. Many good
jobs will depend on this in the future, while no position in the 21st century
is going to require the use of inches or pounds!